Abstract: A method for a direct interface between a memory controller and a non-volatile memory controller using a command protocol includes receiving a command from a memory controller to a non-volatile memory controller over a wire interface by way of a command protocol. The memory controller is coupled to one or more processors and the non-volatile memory controller, in one embodiment, is coupled to non-volatile memory media. The command protocol includes a control path that enables the memory controller to distinguish among different memory modules. The non-volatile memory controller stores data sequentially on the non-volatile memory media to preserve an ordered sequence of memory operations performed on the non-volatile memory media. The method includes executing the command within the non-volatile memory controller in response to determining that the non-volatile memory controller is capable of satisfying the command.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for executing data transformations for a data storage device. A storage controller module executes a storage operation for a set of data within a data storage device. A transformation module determines to apply a data transformation to the set of data in response to a transformation indicator. A processing module applies the data transformation to the set of data internally on the data storage device prior to completing the storage operation.

Abstract: A virtual storage layer (VSL) for a non-volatile storage device presents a logical address space of a non-volatile storage device to storage clients. Storage metadata assigns logical identifiers in the logical address space to physical storage locations on the non-volatile storage device. Data is stored on the non-volatile storage device in a sequential log-based format. Data on the non-volatile storage device comprises an event log of the storage operations performed on the non-volatile storage device. The VSL presents an interface for requesting atomic storage operations. Previous versions of data overwritten by the atomic storage device are maintained until the atomic storage operation is successfully completed. Data pertaining to a failed atomic storage operation may be identified using a persistent metadata flag stored with the data on the non-volatile storage device. Data pertaining to failed or incomplete atomic storage requests may be invalidated and removed from the non-volatile storage device.

Abstract: A customized installation, e.g. of Linux software, is created by allowing a user to select packages that the user is interested in installing. During the process, the user is informed if two of the packages that were selected will not be interoperable at run-time. The user is then given an opportunity to resolve the conflict. The user is also informed if selected packages depend on other packages that were not selected in order to run properly, and given the opportunity to include those needed packages in the installation. Once the selected packages have been validated that they will interoperate and all dependencies are satisfied, the system can install the installation.

Abstract: The system and method for intelligent workload management described herein may include a computing environment having a model-driven, service-oriented architecture for creating collaborative threads to manage workloads, wherein the management threads may converge information for managing identities and access credentials, enforcing policies, providing compliance assurances, managing provisioned and requested services, and managing physical and virtual infrastructure resources. In one implementation, an authentication server may generate authentication tokens defining access credentials for managed entities across a plurality of authentication domains, wherein the authentication tokens may control access to resources in an information technology infrastructure. For example, a management infrastructure may create service distributions for the managed entities, which may include virtual machine images hosted on physical resources.

Abstract: The system and method described herein for recording collaborative information technology processes in an intelligent workload management system may include a computing environment having a model-driven, service-oriented architecture for creating collaborative threads to manage workloads. In particular, the management threads may include one or more data structures that converge information describing interaction between managed entities and content that may relate to such interaction in time-ordered series of events. The time-ordered event stream may then be replayed in a real-time stream to remediate, roll back, or otherwise analyze the collaborative information technology processes.

Abstract: The system and method described herein for managing information technology models in an intelligent workload management system may include a computing environment having a model-driven, service-oriented architecture for creating collaborative threads to manage workloads. In particular, the management threads may converge information for managing planned changes and recovery processes for version-controlled snapshots of the information technology models. For example, a discovery engine may enrich models of an infrastructure with identity information obtained from an identity vault and the infrastructure itself, and a management infrastructure may then manage planned changes to the infrastructure model. In particular, the management infrastructure may construct implementation plans that coordinate interaction between managed entities to implement the planned changes, and may further detect drifts between operational states and planned states for the infrastructure models.

Abstract: The system and method described herein for providing annotated service blueprints in an intelligent workload management system may include a computing environment having a model-driven, service-oriented architecture for creating collaborative threads to manage workloads. In particular, the management threads may converge information for creating annotated service blueprints to provision and manage tessellated services distributed within an information technology infrastructure. For example, in response to a request to provision a service, a service blueprint describing one or more virtual machines may be created. The service blueprint may then be annotated to apply various parameters to the virtual machines, and the annotated service blueprint may then be instantiated to orchestrate the virtual machines with the one or more parameters and deploy the orchestrated virtual machines on information technology resources allocated to host the requested service, thereby provisioning the requested service.

Abstract: A method for providing a servicing operation in a computing environment includes providing a plurality of resources including at least a client resource requiring a periodic servicing operation, a service provider resource capable of providing that servicing operation. At least one of the client resource and the service provider resource are defined by virtual machines. The client resource and the service provider resource are transparently co-located by transferring the resource defined by a virtual machine, and the service provider resource performs the servicing operation. Methods, computer systems, and computer programs available as a download or on a computer-readable medium for installation according to the invention are provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus involve continuous management of workloads, including regular monitoring, profiling, tuning and fault analysis by way of instrumentation in the workloads themselves. Broadly, features contemplate collecting current state information from remote or local workloads and correlating it to predefined operational characteristics to see if such defines an acceptable operating state. If so, operation continues. If not, remediation action occurs. In a virtual environment with workloads performing under the scheduling control of a hypervisor, state information may also come from a hypervisor as well as any guest user and kernel spaces of an attendant operating system. Executable instructions in the form of probes gather this information from items of the stack available for control and deliver it to the management system. Other features contemplate supporting/auditing third party cloud computing services, validating service level agreements, and consulting independent software vendors.

Abstract: Techniques for cloud control and management are provided. The control, creation, and management of workloads in distributed infrastructures are coordinated via a master Configuration Management Database (CMDB). The master CMDB is also used to unify the multiple distributed infrastructures so that the workloads are rationalized. Moreover, data centers are coordinated with the distributed infrastructures so the configuration settings and policies included in the master CMDB are enforced and synchronized throughout the network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus involve computing backup for virtual representations on a physical hardware platform. The platform has a processor, memory and available storage upon which a plurality of virtual machines are configured. Also, each virtual machine has a type of operating system that may be the same or different as another virtual machine. A plurality of virtual machine proxies exists as complements to the virtual machines in order to actually conduct the backup. Upon indication of a present need for conducting a backup operation, the proxy with an operating system most closely approximating or matching the operating system of the virtual machine needing backup is selected for undertaking the operation. In this manner, backup is no longer conducted with ill-fitting physical backup proxies with incompatible operating systems. In other embodiments, nuances of conducting backup are described as are templates and cloning. Computer program products are further described.

Abstract: Techniques for verifiable virtualized storage port assignments in virtual machines are provided. Configuration data for a virtual machine is defined to include a mechanism to verify an identity for the virtual machine in a target physical environment and a mechanism to verify a storage port assignment for use in the target physical processing environment. Before the target physical processing environment initiates the virtual machine an identity for the virtual machine is acquired, the configuration data is verified and the storage port assignment is verified.

Abstract: A method for providing a servicing operation in a computing environment includes providing a plurality of resources including at least a client resource requiring a periodic servicing operation, a service provider resource capable of providing that servicing operation. At least one of the client resource and the service provider resource are defined by virtual machines. The client resource and the service provider resource are transparently co-located by transferring the resource defined by a virtual machine, and the service provider resource performs the servicing operation. Methods, computer systems, and computer programs available as a download or on a computer-readable medium for installation according to the invention are provided.

Abstract: System and method for performing processing functions on a warehoused service image. In one embodiment, the system comprises a service image warehouse for storing at least one service image; means for modifying the at least one service image by performing at least one of a plurality of service image processing functions on a service image contemporaneously with a user's checking the at least one service image out of the service image warehouse; means for checking the modified service image back into the service image warehouse; and a plurality of compute nodes connected to the service image warehouse to which the at least one service image may be deployed. Each of the compute nodes comprises one of a physical machine and a virtual machine host.

Abstract: Managing a data center life cycle of an enterprise begins with a policy defining stages of the life cycle and criteria indicating a successful evaluation of each stage. Evaluators, according to a predetermined identity, attest to whether the policy is satisfied for a single stage of the life cycle until all stages are evaluated, but advancement from one stage to the next only occurs upon the policy being satisfactorily met. If the policy is not met, corrective action is taken, including an optional step of notifying personnel of a stage failure. Documenting the attestation is another consideration as is auditing the documenting. In this manner, troubleshooting is enhanced or an historical record is achieved. In the event of multiple evaluators, each may attest to the satisfaction of a portion of the policy. Further definitions include computing configurations per a single machine and/or an entirety of the data center.

Abstract: In a computing environment, an association and layout of virtual machines exist as a system instantiated for a common computing goal, such as providing a data center with an email system for an enterprise. Irrespective of physical computing devices, a template exists for each of the virtual machines according to a role of the common computing goal, including a definition for external connectivity with other virtual machines. From a template library, certain of the virtual machine templates are selected and tessellated into an application functioning to accomplish the computing goal. Collections of tessellated applications may be reposited in a library so that more than one application may be combined with another to achieve yet another computing goal, for example. Ultimately, tessellated applications provide a new computing paradigm to counter present-day computing complexities and cumbersomeness as systems evolve and become more regulated.

Abstract: In a computing environment, an association and layout of virtual machines is provided as a system instantiated for a common computing goal, such as providing a data center with an email system for an enterprise. Irrespective of physical computing devices, a template exists for each of the virtual machines according to a role of the common computing goal, including a definition for external connectivity with other virtual machines. From a template library, certain of the virtual machine templates are selected and tessellated into an application functioning to accomplish the computing goal. Storage configurations contemplate physical storage devices variously arranged over the near and short term relative to each of the virtual machine templates and to the tessellated application as a whole. Managers coordinate, allocate and oversee same.

Abstract: Techniques for verifiable virtualized storage port assignments in virtual machines are provided. Configuration data for a virtual machine is defined to include a mechanism to verify an identity for the virtual machine in a target physical environment and a mechanism to verify a storage port assignment for use in the target physical processing environment. Before the target physical processing environment initiates the virtual machine an identity for the virtual machine is acquired, the configuration data is verified and the storage port assignment is verified.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for use in a computer collaboration environment. In one example, the method includes identifying that a resource should be failed over from one computer to another computer within the environment. A history of the resource's execution within the cluster is examined, and the resource is failed over only if a risk assessment based on the history indicates that a risk level of loading the resource does not exceed an acceptable risk threshold.